Francesca Vigilucci: Washington DC 1913

Thirteen-year-old Francesca Vigilucci has always lived a privileged life in Washington, D.C., as the daughter of a wealthy lawyer. The year is 1913, and things are changing for women in the United States - although it seems as though life in the Vigilucci household is no different than it has always been. Francesca knows that her parents expect her to marry a wealthy man and raise a family, but that's not the life she dreams of. She longs to attend college and start an exciting career, instead of living a life like her mother's - a life that would be boring to Francesca. The only person she can share her dreams with is Laura, a girl her age who works as a servant in the Vigilucci home. The girls long to attend the suffragist parade to show their support for the women fighting to win the right to vote, but with Francesca's grumpy, traditional aunt in town, will they be able to find a way? This was another excellent addition to the American Diaries series. Kathleen Duey brought to life both the suffragist movement and the varying social conditions of the wealthy and the impoverished in early twentieth century America. As always, I look forward to reading the next book in the series.